VIT Bhopal Campus Shut After Violent Student Protests Over Jaundice Outbreak
Tensions at Vellore Institute of Technology's Bhopal campus exploded into violent demonstrations late Tuesday night, with approximately 4,000 students rallying against a widespread jaundice outbreak they attribute to poor hygiene and contaminated water on campus. The unrest culminated in students setting multiple vehicles on fire and causing significant damage to university property, including the chancellor's bungalow.
Health Crisis Ignites Long-Standing Grievances
The protests escalated following reports that around two dozen students had fallen ill with jaundice symptoms in recent weeks. According to student accounts, the outbreak was the final straw after months of unaddressed complaints. A student representative revealed, "The management consistently suppressed our complaints without providing clear responses." Despite repeated attempts to discuss the health crisis and concerns about food and water quality with officials, no concrete actions were taken.
Students residing in hostels reported facing mistreatment by staff and security guards when raising these critical health issues. They alleged threats and physical assaults aimed at silencing their legitimate concerns about campus living conditions. "This neglect, indifference, and aggressive response fueled our anger," the student added. Many students confirmed they had resorted to buying bottled mineral water due to unsafe drinking water on campus.
Night of Violence and Police Response
By nightfall on Tuesday, student frustration boiled over. Large groups gathered at hostels and the main entrance, shouting slogans against the university management. The peaceful gathering quickly turned violent, leading to the arson attacks and property damage.
In response, police teams from Sehore and neighboring areas were deployed to the campus, which is situated along the Indore-Bhopal highway in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district. Superintendent of Police Deepak Shukla confirmed that the situation is now normal. He announced, "For safety reasons, the college has been declared closed until November 30." Many students have already left for their homes.
Ongoing Investigations and Administrative Silence
Authorities are now compiling a list of sick students in hostels and will address their problems by receiving formal applications. The police are actively investigating the cause of the illness, the alleged assaults on students, and the extensive property damage. Further action is pending the outcome of this inquiry.
Notably, neither the VIT Bhopal university administration nor district officials have issued any formal statement regarding the jaundice outbreak or the subsequent violence that rocked the campus. The silence from official channels has left many questions unanswered as the campus remains closed and students disperse.
